My
story is one of let down and loss. My story is also of hope;
of realizing that what we need in this country is change. My
story is
like many in Ohio,
many
in the country. That may be what makes it so compelling -- it is
a story
of
America,
today.
When
George W. Bush became President in 2000, as a patriotic American,
I accepted him as my President. As a practicing Catholic and
Fourth
Degree Knight of Columbus, I looked forward to his compassionate
agenda. As a father of a beautiful 2-year old boy, I looked
forward to a
President that would lead our country to economic stability and global
respect,
opening up the doors of possibility for my son.
Eight
months into the Bush presidency, America
was attacked. I united behind our leader when he stood on that
rubble
pile and uttered those famous words to the fireman: "I hear you
loud
and clear and the people who knocked down these buildings will hear
from us
very soon." I was not happy with many of Bush’s policies, but
I was convinced that his compassion would guide his actions. I
was behind
the President on foreign policy and if he handled the terrorists that
attacked
us then he would get my vote for sure in 2004.
Fast
forward to January 2003, and the State of the Union
through my eyes. I
was still
at my telecommunications job, though the company was on its third round
of
layoffs. There was a hiring freeze, expenditures were being cut
back and
my benefits including health care were being diluted. Several of
my
co-workers were called up for military duty. However, it was not
for
Afghanistan
where Osama Bin Laden remains at large. Somehow the response to the
9/11
attacks was shifting to
Iraq
and Saddam Hussein. Still stinging from the attack on our soil, I
was
ready to believe our President about the threat from
Iraq.
Despite
the Holy Father’s unequivocal condemnation of the Iraq
war, echoed by my Catholic Church here in
Columbus,
I supported the war. In May of 2003, President Bush landed on
that
Aircraft Carrier and declared "Mission Accomplished." I was
glad to still have a job, and the President assured
us that combat was at an end. He
promised to create more jobs and restore the ones that had been lost.
On
January 26th 2004,
everything changed for me and my family. My turn had
come.
My boss informed me that my
position was being eliminated amidst downsizing. In the following
months my
family survived on savings and severance. Health insurance was the
first to go.
I was unable to afford COBRA coverage, and premium costs rivaled my
rent.
After the savings were gone, unemployment was all we had left.
My
job search was fruitless. I sent out hundreds of resumes, only
to find that available jobs were paying less than $10.00 an hour
without
benefits – a 67% pay cut for me. I have since come to realize
that
these low paying; no benefit jobs are the ones George Bush is touting
as the
jobs he has created. My question: where is the compassion?
I
heard the President on TV say that the kind of economy we are in now
requires us to retrain and that money was available for it.
Inspired and
wanting to find a public-service career, I set my sights on Nursing
School. I looked into
this
“retraining money” only to find it came in the form of student
loans.
My wife and I, already in
debt with student loans, were disillusioned that this was the only
option. My question: where is the compassion?
On
June 16th, 2004,
I had the opportunity to see Senator John Kerry speak in
Columbus.
At the rally he spoke of the jobs lost here in
Ohio
and the millions who have no health care. He noted that he, the
President and
those in Congress get the best healthcare around. He spoke about the
increased
tax burden on the middle class and how the wealthy were getting all the
breaks.
I
did not know much about John Kerry then but came away wanting to know
more. The more I have learned about his policies I see that he will be
working
for me and the working people of America.
Recently, I got to speak to him directly at the airport in
Columbus.
That meeting confirmed in my heart my support for him as President. He
has
lived a life of compassion and he has continually turned his words into
deeds.
We
connected as practicing Catholics, and I shared his inspiration to
ask first what we can do for our country. As a member of the
Knights of
Columbus, I knew that issues of social justice, opportunity for the
least among
us, just war, and human dignity are very important to Catholics.
It is
then that I founded the website www.CatholicsforKerry04.org,
joining forces with some fellow Catholics who had supported President
Bush in
2000.
Since
that time, another 9-11 anniversary has past with none of the
justice Bush promised on that pile of rubble. The men ultimately
responsible
for knocking those buildings down are still at large and Bush never
mentions
them – or the crowds of terrorists joining al-Qaeda in reaction to his
policies. The death toll of US Soldiers – over 1,000 children of God
each
with a family – and innocent Iraqi civilians – well over 10,000
children of God each with a family.
Bush never mentions them. And once again, my question: where is the compassion?
I
look around and see a community of Catholics being pulled back to the
Democrats. We hear the US
Bishops’ call to Faithful Citizenship requiring consideration of all
Catholic issues. We are Catholics who want decent jobs and
healthcare.
Catholics who want a safe
world for
their children to grow up in. I am that kind of Catholic and I
believe
John Kerry is too. That gives me hope again that
America
can regain the ethic of being our brother’s keepers and have a leader
who
champions the common good.
Eric
McFadden resides in Dublin
Ohio with his wife Jana and son
Devin. Eric
is a Fourth Degree Member of the Knights of Columbus, The Worlds
Largest
Catholic Fraternal Organization.